Lighting fixture



Dec. 20, 1966 v 2511-2 ETAL 3,293,426

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Nov. 27; 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @WW Z Dec. 20,1966 A. E- ZEITZ ETAL 3,293,426

LiGHTING FIXTURE Filed Nov. 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent 3,293,426 LIGHTING FIXTURE Arthur E. Zeitz, Lombard, and SamuelJ. Zagel, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Compco Corporation, Chicago, Ill.,a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 326,438 6Claims. (Cl. 240-25) This invention relates to a lighting fixture, and,more particularly, to a fluorescent lighting fixture having a novelarrangement of structural shapes, light tubes and ballast.

From time to time, it is necessary to repair the light fixtures withwhich the invention is concerned, and in the past this has been anonerous operation. It will be appreciated that may such fixtures aremounted on vertical standards or poles for outdoor installation, so thatrepair of the electrical components, particularly the ballast, isdifificult and, at times, hazardous. This is avoided in the instantinvention through a novel construction, and the provision of suchconstruction constitutes an important object of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting fixture whereinthe ballast is supported upon a pivoted or hinged door panel wherebymaximum accessibility is provided for repair, replacement, etc.

A more specific object is to provide a lighting fixture of the elevated,outdoor type wherein the ballast is provided at the supported end of thefixture and on a pivotally mounted door positioned on the underside ofthe fixture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be seen in thedetails of construction and operation set down in this specification.

The invention is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lighting fixture embodying theinventive construction;

FIG. 2 is a bottom elevational view of the lamp housing of the fixture,with parts broken away for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the pole endof the fixture, on an enlarged scale, as taken along the line 33 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the lamp housingas taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is another transverse vertical view as taken on the line 5-5 ofFIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a longtitudinal horizontal sectional view through thestructure shown in FIG. 3 as taken on the line 66 thereon.

In the illustration given and with particular reference to FIG. 1, thenumeral 10 designates generally a light fixture of the fluorescent typewhich is seen to be mounted in cantilever fashion on a standard or pole11 equipped with the usual base 12. Typical usages of such fixtures arein gasoline stations, parking lots, etc. The light fixture includes anouter casing 14 which is secured to the pole 11 by means of an adapter13 (see particularly FIGS. 3 and 6). On its underside, the casing 14 isequipped with transparent glass as at 15 (see FIG. 2) which protects theelongated fluorescent tubes 16. The casing 14 provides a light chamber17 (see FIG. 3) and, adjacent the supported end, a ballast space orchamber 18. On its underside, the ballast chamber is equipped with adoor 19 (see particularly FIG. 3), with the door carrying the ballast20.

The ballast 20 is coupled by electrical wiring 21 to sockets 22 carriedby a transverse wall 23 which divides the casing into the lightcompartment 17 and the ballast compartment 18. Also provided iselectrical wiring 24 coupling the ballast 20 with sockets (not shown) atthe other end of the casing 14. For the puurpose of supporting theelectrical wiring 24 in running the length of the casing 14, a channel25 is provided along the top longitudinal median of the casing 14(compare FIGS. 3 and 4). The supply wiring for the ballast transformer20 is clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 6 and is designated 26, the wiring 26terminating in plug receptacles 27' for disconnection. The receptacles27 are coupled to exterior wiring 28 which is seen to run through theadapter 13 and ultimately to the pole 11 to a source of electricalcurrent (not shown).

The numeral 29 (see particularly FIG. 6) designates an end casing whichin this case is provided at the supported end of the casing 11 (see alsoFIG. 3). The adapter 13 is secured to the casing 29 by means of boltunits 30, and the casing 29 also provides a support for the hinge 31having hinge leaves 31a and 31b for pivotally supporting the door 19.The door 19 is releasably supported in an operative position as seen insolid line in FIG. 3 by means of the fasteners 32. The ballast 20, aspointed out previously, is supported on the door 19.

Reference to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 reveals the heat transfer plate 33 whichprojects into the ballast compartment 18 above the ballast 20 and whichserves to conduct heat from the ballast transformer 20 to the end of thecasing 14, i.e., into the relatively heavy casing 29 for diffusion tothe atmosphere. The plate or shield 33 is suitably anchored to the endcasing 29* by means of bolts 34.

In the operation of the device, the casing 14 is rigidly anchored to theadapter 13 as indicated in FIG. 3. The adapter may be equipped with apivotal joint so as to vary the inclination of the fixture 10 relativeto the pole 11. As mentioned previously, the wiring normally is mountedwithin the pole 11 so as to provide a totally enclosed unit. The wiringproceeds from the ground through the pole 11 to the ballast transformer20 via the separable couplings 27, and thence to the light tubes 16 viathe wiring 21 and 24.

In the event of ballast failure, there is easy servicing made possiblethrough removal of the fasteners 32 or like releasable locking means soas to swing the door 13 to the dotted line position as seen in FIG. 3.For this purpose, there is suflicient slack provided in the wiring 28,21 and 24 and, as indicated in the dotted line position in FIG. 3, thereceptacles 27 may be detached, after which the ballast 20 may beremoved in the event replacement is indicated.

The provision of a separate ballast chamber 18 at one end of the casing14 not only facilitates the above-mentioned repair or replacement, asthe case may be, but also provides for an advantageous dissipation ofheat via the plate or shield 33 which is anchored to the end casing 29for diffusion of the heat to the atmosphere.

While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of anembodiment of the invention has been set down for the purpose ofillustration thereof, many variations in the details herein given may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A fluorescent light fixture, comprising a casing providing a lampspace and a ballast space, at least part of said ballast space beingdefined by an outer wall of said casing, a door opening in said outerwall and a door mounted on said outer wall closing said door opening andadapted to pivot outwardly of said space, a ballast mounted on said doorfor movement with said door into and out of said space fastener means atone end of said door only releasably coupling said door to said wall,and electric wire means coupling said spaces with the ti,v exterior ofsaid casing whereby only said fastener means needs to be removed topivot said door outwardly to expose said ballast for replacement.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said casing is elongated and saidballast space is provided at one end of said casing.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said casing is equipped at .saidone end with means for cantilever mounting of said casing on a verticalstandard, said door being positioned on the underside of said casing.

4. A fluorescent light fixture, comprising an elongated casing having atransverse wall adjacent to but spaced from one end defining a ballastchamber at said one end and a light chamber extending over the remainderof said casing, light-supporting sockets on said wall and at the otherend of said casing for supporting light tubes in said light chamber, adoor closing the underside of said ballast chamber and pivotallyattached to said casing, a ballast mounted on said door for movementwith said door into an operative position when said door is closed andto a service position when said door is pivoted to an open position,fastener means at one end of said door only releasably holding said doorin closed position against said casing, first electrical wiring couplingsaid ballast and sockets, and second electrical wiring coupling saidballast to the casing exterior for supplying electrical current theretowhereby only said fastener means needs to be removed to pivot said dooroutwardly to expose said ballast for replacement.

5. A fluorescent light fixture, comprising an elongated casing having atransverse wall adjacent to but spaced from one end defining a ballastchamber at said one end and a light chamber extending over the remainder.of the casing, light-supporting sockets on said wall and at the othercasing end for supporting light tubes in said light chamber, a doorclosing the underside of said ballast chamber and pivotally attached tosaid casing, a ballast mounted on said door, fastener means at one endof said door only releasably holding said door in closed position,electrical wiring coupling said ballast and said wall sockets,additional electrical wiring coupling said ballast and said other casingend socket, an elongated channel in said casing light chamber confiningand supporting said other wiring, and means in said casing for supplyingelectrical current to said ballast where by only said fastener meansneeds to be removed to pivot said door outwardly to expose said ballast.for

replacement.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said casing is centrallytransversely enthickened over the length of said light chamber, saidchannel being supported along the longitudinal median of said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,393,062 1/1946Reeves 240-51.11 2,849,574' 8/1958 Burns et al. 240-25 X 3,071,6831/1963 Queale 24025 3,183,346 5/1965 Spaulding et al. 24025 3,185,8355/1965 Muller et a1 240-51.11

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. CHARLES R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner.

1. A FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURE, COMPRISING A CASING PROVIDING A LAMPSPACE AND A BALLAST SPACE, AT LEAST PART OF SAID BALLAST SPACE BEINGDEFINED BY AN OUTER WALL OF SAID CASING, A DOOR OPENING IN SAID OUTERWALL AND A DOOR MOUNTED ON SAID OUTER WALL CLOSING SAID DOOR OPENING ANDADAPTED TO PIVOT OUTWARDLY OF SAID SPACE, A BALLAST MOUNTED ON SAID DOORFOR MOVEMENT WIHT SAID DOOR INTO AND OUT OF SAID SPACE FASTENER MEANS ATONE END OF SAID DOOR ONLY RELEASABLY COUPLING SAID DOOR TO SAID WALL,AND ELECTRIC WIRE MEANS COUPLING SAID SPACES WITH THE EXTERIOR OF SAIDCASING WHEREBY ONLY SAID FASTENER MEANS NEEDS TO BE REMOVED TO PIVOTSAID DOOR OUTWARDLY TO EXPOSE SAID BALLAST FOR REPLACEMENT.